Spain rally past Croatia as England continue winning run
Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail
PARIS: Spain came from behind to defeat Croatia 2-1 in Split on Tuesday, maintaining their perfect record in the Nations League group stage and securing a place in the quarter-finals.
Croatia took the lead after 17 minutes when Ivan Perisic followed up after goalkeeper Unai Simon saved Igor Matanovic’s effort. Perisic headed the rebound into the net to put the hosts ahead.
Spain controlled much of the possession but struggled to turn their dominance into clear chances during the first half. Croatia also threatened to extend their lead, with Matanovic coming close to scoring again.
Spain eventually found an equaliser in the 61st minute. Dani Olmo collected a poor clearance and played the ball to substitute Mikel Merino, who calmly finished from inside the area.
Croatia were reduced to 10 players in the 79th minute when Perisic received a second yellow card for pushing Marc Cucurella.
Spain took advantage of the numerical advantage late in the game. Merino found space inside the penalty area and turned before firing home the winning goal with a minute of normal time remaining.
The result extended Spain’s unbeaten run to 42 matches and ensured they would finish among the top two teams in their group.
Merino, who came off the bench to score both of Spain’s goals, said he always tries to make an impact whenever he gets the opportunity.
Kane shines as England beat Czech Republic
England also strengthened their position with a 3-0 victory over the Czech Republic, with captain Harry Kane scoring twice.
The result kept England three points behind Spain and moved them closer to qualification for the knockout stage.
Kane marked his 125th England appearance by scoring two goals, taking his international tally to 91. His latest appearance also saw him equal former goalkeeper Peter Shilton’s record for the most caps for England.
England opened the scoring after 27 minutes when Czech defender Vladimir Coufal accidentally turned an England cross into his own net.
Kane then doubled the advantage in the 40th minute after finishing a quick attacking move.
The Bayern Munich striker came close to completing his hat-trick when his effort struck the crossbar early in the second half. He eventually found the net again in the 57th minute with a header from a corner.
Kane described the evening as a highly satisfying occasion for both himself and the team.
His England teammate Jude Bellingham also praised the striker’s performances, highlighting Kane’s goalscoring ability and his contribution to the team’s build-up play.
Switzerland secure top-two finish
In League B, Scotland suffered a 2-1 home defeat against Slovenia despite taking the lead through Ryan Christie in the first half.
Slovenia responded after the interval, with Aljosa Matko and Danijel Sturm scoring to complete the comeback.
Meanwhile, Switzerland defeated North Macedonia 3-0 in Lucerne to guarantee a top-two finish. Fabian Rieder scored before half-time, while Johan Manzambi and Dan Ndoye added late goals to seal the victory.
